Medical applicator



April 23, 1963 D. c. FoRRsT MEDICAL APPLICATOR Filed March 18. 1959Tizi. l.

JNVENTOR. I DA v/D C. Foy/pcs?" A ruw/vars United States Patent O3,086,527 MEDICAL APPLICATOR David C. Forrest, 1805 Monument Ave.,Richmond 20, Va. Filed Mar. 18, 1959, Ser. No. 800,249 4 Claims. (Cl.12S- 263) The present invention relates generally to medicalvapplicators, and more particularly to applicators adapted to administerliquid cleansing agents and medicated solutions into the female vagina.

Gynecological therapy often requires the application of liquids, salvesand lotions to the vaginal mucous membrane. While devices for thispurpose are available to the medical profession, such devices arerelatively diiiicult to use and call for a high order of skill on thepart of the practitioner. Moreover, conventional vaginal applicators arenot readily usable by the patient without medical supervision.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide avaginal applicator of simple design which is easily manipulated and maybe used by the patient for home administration of therapeutic agents.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide anapplicator which facilitates the insertion of a plug or tampon ofabsorbent material into the vaginal canal without injury or discomfortand without the users hands making contact either with the plug or thebody.

A significant feature of the invention is that it makes possible a novelmethod of cleansing the vaginal walls of debris. The applicator not onlyserves as a hygienic cleansing douche but also affords a method ofremoving debris found in certain pathological conditions.

`It is a further object of the invention to provide a com pactapplicator and container assembly whereby the applicator may bemaintained in sterile condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide an applicator having anabsorbent plug which may be introduced in dry form to collect specimensof vaginal secretions as an aid in diagnosis of various cervical,uterine and vaginal conditions.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an applicator which isof eihcient and sturdy construction and which may be manufactured andsold at relatively low cost.

Briefly stated, these objects are attained in an applicator constitutedby a sleeve and a plunger slidable therein, the plunger being providedwith a plug which is maintained under compression in the sleeve, suchthat when the sleeve is withdrawn the plug is rendered active.

For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects andfurther features thereof, reference is had to the following detaileddescription to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein like components in the several views are identified by likereference numerals.

ln the drawings:

FIG. l is a horizontal section taken through a sealed container havingan applicator therein in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a separate View of the handle for the applicator shown in FIG.l.

FIG. 3 shows the handle attached to the applicator, with the applicatorplug partially extended from its protective sleeve.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. l, there isshown an applicator housed within a container 1()I in tubular form andcovered by a cap 1,1. Container may be made of glass, plastic ormetallic material and is disposable. The cap may be of any suitable typeaifording an effective seal, and to ensure a 3,086,527 Patented Apr. 23,1963 ice sterile applicator, the container may be vacuum packed.Inserted concentrically within the tubular container is a cylindricalsleeve 12 having an enlarged end portion 13 provided with an arcuatedepression 14 serving as a thumb and finger hold to facilitate removalof the sleeve. Formed on the interior wall of the container is anannular shoulder 15 on which the end portion 13 of the sleeve is adaptedto rest, thereby suspending the sleeve within the container. Inpractice, the sleeve may have a length of about 51/2 to 6 inches.

Received slidably within the sleeve 12 is plug or tampon 16 formed ofcotton fibers or other highly absorbent material. The plug is supportedon a central core 17 terminiating in a disc-shaped handle attachment 18.The plug and handle attachment combination are adapted to function as apiston within the sleeve. The fibers of the plug are compressed withinthe sleeve and preferably lie in a counterclockwise direction therein.

The handle for the applicator, shown separately in FIG. 2, isconstituted by a cylindrical rod 19 of metal or other material, the topportion '20 of the rod being knurled for ltraction and easy rotation.Projecting axially from the lower end of the rod 19 is a screw Z1adapted for insertion in an internally threaded socket 22 formed on theapplicator attachment 18. The length of the handle is about equal tothat of sleeve `12. so that when the handle is fully inserted within thesleeve, the plug is fully extended therefrom. Y

Whenthe applicator is to be used, it is removed from the container andthe handle is attached thereto as shown in FIG. 3. To expose the fibersof the plug, the sleeve is withdrawn therefrom in the direction of thehandle. In FIG. 3, the sleeve is shown partially removed, the fibers ofthe front end of the plug being released, the remaining fibers beingcompacted within the sleeve.

-ln practice, the applicator is inserted into the vagina with theprotect-ive sleeve 12 thereon, the sleeve being removed only after fullinsertion of the applicator.

Either the right or left hand is used to remove the sleeve by simpleretraction thereof over the previously attached handle 19. Simplepressure on the handle will start the removal of the sleeve. Thisprocedure may be carried out by the patient in the sitting or proneposition.

The released plug 16 lies in close approximation to the vaginal wall.The fibers of the plug, having been previously inserted into the sleevein a counterclockwise direction, may now be unwound by a clockwiserotation of the handle by the patient after its proper insertion. Thusmedication can be brought into close contact to the vaginal wall and amore even distribution be made. The rotating motion, alforded bymanipulation of the handle, acts to further increase the application aswell as offering a cleansing action.

In practice, the applicator sleeve and associated plug may be made inthree standard diameters-small, medium and large. The applicator may bepackaged within a sealed container or it may be separately packaged.There is of course no need for a separate handle with each applicator.The applicator may be pre-saturated with suitable medication or thedrugs may be separately packaged.

The applicator makes it possible to bring a drug into closeapproximation over a suicient length of time to permit effective action.Thus it may be inserted and left in place for periods of from l0 to 30minutes, or for that matter for any desirable length of time and thenremoved by `the patient.

There are various ways in which the plug or tampon may be medicated.Where the medication is in the form of a liquid solution, the solutionmay first be poured into the container and the applicator then inserted,the fibers of the plug acting as a wick to absorb the solution andthereby provide a medicated tampon. In the case of a salve or lotion,where the media is substantially thicker, the applicator is best treatedwith the material before being inserted in the sleeve and packaged in asealed container where it will remain stable.

In those cases where the applicator is to be packaged without an outsidecontainer, a solution may be provided in a larger container whereby theapplicator may later be dipped or submerged in the solution and thus besaturated just prior to its insertion in the vagina.

In some instances, it may be desirable to use the applicator in dry formto obtain specimens for laboratory examination, as in cancer detectionprograms. In this instance, a dry applicator with the sleeve thereon isintroduced into the vagina. The sleeve is then removed, and theapplicator left in place for a predetermined period, suicient to absorbsecretions from the vaginal region. The web applicator is then removedand placed into the container where it is again sealed. The container isreturned to a laboratory where the `specimen may then be transferred toglass slides or cultures for further study.

While there has been shown what is considered to be a preferredembodiment of the invention, it will be manifest that many changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the essentialspirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, in the annexedclaims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within thetrue scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A disposable medical applicator comprising a sleeve and a plungerslidable therein, said plunger being constituted by a central coreterminating in a handle attachment, and a plug formed of absorbent berssupported on and completely enclosing said central core and cornpressedwithin said sleeve, further including a detachable 4 handle engaged withsaid handle attachment in axial alignment with said core.

2. A disposable medical applicator as set out in claim 1, wherein thehandle is of such shape and size that the said sleeve may be moved freeof said applicator.

3. A container and medical applicator assembly for the administration ofliquid cleansing and medicated solutions comprising an outer tubularcontainer closed at one end and with a removable top at the other and adisposable medical applicator contained within said container, saidapplicator comprising a sleeve and a plunger slideable therein, saidplunger being constituted by a central core terminating in a handleattachment for detachable engagement of a handle therewith, and a plugformed of absorbent bers supported on and enclosing said central coreand compressed within said sleeve.

4. A container and medical applicator assembly, as set forth in claim 3,wherein the upper portion of said sleeve is of enlarged diameter and isdepressed to form a -nger and thumb hold, said container having anannular inner shoulder on which the enlarged portion of said sleeverests to suspend said sleeve within said container.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 33,234Boardman Sept. 10, 1861 1,256,831 Rogers Feb. 19, `1918 2,072,630 FerryMar. 2, 1937 2,155,285 Wilkenson Apr. 18, 1939 2,362,704 McGivern Nov.14, 1944 2,832,342 Wingenroth Apr. 29, 1958 -2,835,246 Boettger May 20,1958 2,847,000 Nieburgs Aug. 12, 1958 2,922,423 Rickard et al J an. 761960

1. A DISPOSABLE MEDICAL APPLICATOR COMPRISING A SLEEVE AND A PLUNGERSLIDABLE THEREIN, SAID PLUNGER BEING CONSTITUTED BY A CENTRAL CORETERMINATING IN A HANDLE ATTACHMENT, AND A PLUG FORMED OF ABSORBENTFIBERS SUPPORTED ON AND COMPLETELY ENCLOSING SAID CENTRAL CORE ANDCOMPRESSED WITHIN SAID SLEEVE, FURTHER INCLUDING A DETACHABLE